Book Review- Michael Connelly- Lost Light

Michael Connelly- Lost Light (Warner Books 2004) 3.75 Stars

Every officer has a case that got away. The one they couldn’t catch. For retired officer Harry Bosch it is the Angella Benton case; one he had for about four hours. Her death was linked to the armed robbery of two million dollars from a movie set, but neither case was ever solved. Now he is looking into it and he is finding that people more powerful than him do not want him digging into the case.

This book was really hard to get into, I only kept reading because it was a Harry Bosch novel. That being said, about a quarter of the way through the pace picked up and things started to get rolling. From that point on I was hooked. The plot was good, it certainly kept you guessing. I never would have seen the last chapter coming if I had not read later books in the series. I found the characters were good, but not great, Connelly has certainly done a better job of character creation. I do wish that he had found some way of making the beginning more interesting. I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy Connelly and the Bosch series.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- James Patterson and Andrew Gross- 3rd Degree

James Patterson and Andrew Gross- 3^rd Degree (Warner Books 2005) 3.75 Stars

Detective Lindsay Boxer is going for a jog when a house explodes nearby. Rushing inside she saves one child, but also locates three dead bodies. As a threatening message turns up, more people begin to die. Her crew is back together to help her solve this case, and this time one of them is in grave danger, in the sights of a merciless killer.

I loved the introduction for this book, it grabbed my attention right off the bat, and did not let go until the end. The plot was fast-paced and kept you wanting more right through to the end. I did find myself hoping that it would be a little more unpredictable, as it was obvious what was going to happen. I did not find that there was a lot of character development in this book, and would have liked to of seen more, as it would have made the book stronger. This series has the potential to be really good, but they need to take a little more time when writing to improve them and give them that special touch.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Elmore Leonard- Hombre

Elmore Leonard- Hombre (HarperTorch 2002) 2.5 Stars

Getting on the stagecoach no one had any idea just what kind of a trip it would be. John Russell, who has been raised as an Apache, but is returning to live as a white man, is finding out how hard that is going to be. Nobody wants anything to do with him on the stage, but when they are attacked by outlaws they must rely on him to keep them all alive.

I found this book really hard to get into. I never did find myself drawn into this book. The plot was kind of weak and did not get intense until the last little bit. I also found myself not liking any of the characters, which made it even more difficult to enjoy. That being said I loved the way it was told; it seemed like it was being told to me over a campfire. This shows just how great a storyteller Elmore Leonard is, he just needs to work on execution.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Ridley Pearson- The First Victim

Ridley Pearson- The First Victim (Hyperion 1999) 3.75 Stars

Lieutenant Lou Boldt is investigating three women’s deaths. They were found in a shipping container that was washed overboard during a storm. The shipping container was filled with illegal immigrants from China. He will find himself competing with reporter Stevie McNeal in a race for information as she hunts down her missing friend who was doing an investigative report on the illegal alien scam. Meanwhile he is also trying to work both with and against other departments who wish to take the case away from him.

I liked this novel. It was a different kind of thriller than I am used to seeing on the market these days; so it was kind of refreshing. The plot was a kind of two-fold one, two different purposes for the investigation, and moulding into one investigation. It was fairly intense in the latter half and was really hard to put down at the end. I like the characters in this book, they were really well done, especially Boldt. We see both the work side and the personal side of Boldt as he struggles to come to grips with his wife being healthy and having found religion. It was a perfect balance between the two. At times I did find that Pearson was a little wordy, which was kind of distracting at first, making the book harder to get into. I would definitely recommend this book, and will certainly read more books in this series.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Phyllis Reynolds Naylor- Shiloh

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor- Shiloh (Dell Yearling1991) 3.25 Stars

When a young beagle follows 11-year-old Marty Preston home, he has no idea just what he is in for. The dog shows signs of being abused, but Marty’s parents make him bring the dog back home. Marty has grown to love the dog and will not let it live a life of cruelty. He will do whatever it takes to save the dog he has named Shiloh, even if it means holding the dog secretly.

I read this book when I was in school, but could not recall what I thought of it, although I do remember my brother loving this novel. I found that it was a rather slow moving novel that was kind of hard to get into. I think that animal lovers would enjoy the book a lot more than I did. The characters were really well done; they jumped off of every page. However the plot was shallow and was lacking that certain something that would have grabbed me and drawn me in. That being said, it was beautifully written and you can see the author’s skill on every page. Overall it was an okay book.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- David Baldacci- The Christmas Train

David Baldacci- The Christmas Train (Warner Books 2004) 3 Stars

After an unruly airport moment, Tom Langdon has been banned from all American airlines for two years. Now he finds himself on a journey across America by train. He is supposed be meeting his girlfriend in time for Christmas, but he never anticipated all that he would encounter on his soul searching trip.

I thought that this novel was alright. I may have enjoyed it more if I was into romance type novels. The characters were very strong, and memorable; Baldacci’s writing skill shone through with every page. The plot was not deep, but it was not meant to be. It also had many twists and turns that drove the book forward. Everyone on board the train was searching for something. My main complaint was that I was getting bored, but that may be the thriller-enthusiast in me. It was a cutesy story, and I am not really into that. I also felt that it was a little, I don’t know, unlikely to happen the way that it did in too many places. That being said Baldacci is an amazing author and I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good romance, or enjoys Christmas-themed books.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Ted Dekker- Thr3e

Ted Dekker- Thr3e (Center Street 2010) 3.75 Stars

Kevin Parsons has had a rough childhood, yet he has overcome. He is living a good life in seminary school, but someone has now decided that he must share his secrets with the world. A man named Slater has begun calling Kevin with strange riddles, telling him to confess his sins or things will start blowing up. Kevin wishes he knew what sin he needed to confess, before time runs out and people begin dying. It is a race against the clock as his best friend Samantha tries to help him figure things out.

I liked this book. It was odd, as most of Dekker’s books are, but it was very intense. We see Dekker’s usual good versus evil theme, with another odd twist. The plot was not overly deep, but it had many twists and turns that were unexpected and a couple that were. I love the way Dekker gets you thinking one way and then turns you the other. One thing I did feel was lacking was the realism, or likelihood factors. Things happened and I found myself saying, “Right!” The character of Kevin was very well done, but the other characters could have used a little work. Overall, I liked this novel. Another great read by Dekker.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Barry Eisler- Requiem for an Assassin

Barry Eisler- Requiem for an Assassin (Onyx 2007) 3.25 Stars

John Rain kills for a living, but now he is being forced to kill three people. His payment is his friend’s life. His friend has been captured and the only way to get him back is to follow the demands he is given. He quickly realizes that it might be a setup, and he now has to take steps to prevent his own capture.

This novel had a pretty good introduction that made me want to read on. However it was very wordy and Eisler includes a lot of unnecessary details that slowed down the book. I loved the action scenes and how capable Rain is. I also enjoyed his fights with himself over his killings; it added a depth to the character. The other characters in the book though, I did not feel like we got to know. Overall I got kind of bored with this book, as I kind of drowned in the fluff.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Linwood Barclay- Never Look Away

Linwood Barclay- Never Look Away (Anchor Canada 2010) 3.25 Stars

David Harwood is a reporter on the hunt. He is digging up dirt on a privately owned prison wanting to move into Promise Falls, but his newspaper does not seem to be backing him. Deciding to take a break for a day, his family goes to a new amusement park. First his son briefly goes missing and then his wife disappears. Now he must try to locate his wife and wade through all the lies he uncovers, but finding the truth may just destroy everything he thought he had going for him.

I found this novel really hard to get into. The first third was kind of slow moving, but the last two thirds were fast-paced. I enjoyed how much you had to think to figure out just what was going to happen next, although it wasn’t completely unpredictable. I did enjoy seeing the return of Detective Duckworth; although at times he seems a little slow on the uptake. Most of the characters in this book were not really strong in my opinion, just okay. The situations in this novel were not all that realistic, and I must say especially the ending. I was not impressed at all with the ending, it was a disappointment. Overall it was an okay book, but I have seen better by this author.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Lee Child- The Hard Way

Lee Child- The Hard Way (Dell Publishing 2007) 4.25 Stars

When Jack Reacher watched a man in New York City drive away in a Mercedes, he had no idea just what was coming his way. The car belonged to Edward Lane who has many mercenaries working for him, and it contained a million dollars worth of ransom money. Jack Reacher now finds himself working for Lane in the search for the man’s wife and step-daughter. When Reacher finds out just who his employer is and what he has done in the past, he wants to put a stop to everything, but is it too late to put a stop to what he has gotten rolling?

I love the uniqueness of the introductions that Lee Child has a way of working into his books. I do tire of how Reacher always ends up working alongside a woman; it gets old when it happens in every single book. I love how fast-paced and action packed the book was. It grabbed my attention early on and did not let go until the very last page. Then it ended off with an excellent ending that popped. The plot was pretty good and showed that even in a series Lee Child can write something new, that being said I would like to see him write something outside of his comfort zone (non-series). I love Reacher’s character. He is a hard-nose, no nonsense kind of man, who will stop at nothing to see his sense of justice done.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/